The present invention relates broadly to both exercise motivation tools and to audio signal reproduction devices.
Exercise has become an important activity to many people, in part because of the publicized benefits such as cardio-vascular, weight control, muscle tone and others. For an average person, it is desirable to reach a target heart rate for a recommended period of time during an exercise routine. Athletes may wish to train beyond the average target heart rate.
Repetitive exercise such as walking, jogging and biking have been shown to be excellent aerobic activities for meeting both target heart rates and training goals. Unfortunately, these activities, when prolonged, are sometimes associated with a degree of boredom. Additionally, the rate of activity needed to reach and maintain target heart rates and training goals is intimidating for some.
Music has long been used to help exercisers pass time during their workouts, and to create a more pleasant environment. The use of music while exercising has become increasingly popular in recent years with the availability of portable audio devices such as audio cassette players which are the product of micro-miniaturization. What is needed--but lacking in the prior art--is an efficient way of combining the use of music or other audio stimuli with exercise to motivate exercisers to a higher level of performance with little or no recognition of the transition between the lower and higher levels. This would greatly said in reducing the aforementioned boredom and intimidation sometimes associated with exercise.